KANU has a long way to go

The official opposition KANU has still a long way to go before it can start feeling comfortable in its new shoes. They are a wee bit uncomfortable and too small a size compared to the comfy ones it wore as the ruling party for forty years. This doesn't mean that KANU hasn't tried. It has attempted to make the best out of its sorry situation and that is good news for Kenyans. KANU held for the first time in decades what many observers saw as free and fair elections. Kasarani, once a battlefield associated with well-choreographed KANU elections meant to choose a certain elite into power, was transformed into a venue that witnessed perhaps KANU's first free elections.

Uhuru Kenyatta beat Nicholas Biwott and the one time 'total man' at one point threatened to walk off claiming the election was being rigged in favour of Uhuru. His claims were hard to prove as the delegates' list was agreed on before the polls and the election was going on smoothly before a packed Kasarani stadium in broad daylight. The election went on and Uhuru was elected chairman.

Today Uhuru is finding it very hard to steer the party in the direction he wants it to go. This is because Nicholas Biwott also claims to be the leader of the party. KANU is torn into two hapless halves, its potency further reduced and the public is clearly not amused. What happens to the country's political landscape? We are effectively left without an active opposition that can keep the government on its toes. Not that anyone misses KANU. It really messed up during its time in power. But a rejuvenated KANU is what Kenyans need to keep the popular NARC administration in check.

Democracy demands an active opposition. That just seems to be missing in Kenya. Ford People has already ensconsed itself in the warm leather seats of government and the opposition benches have also proved to be too cold for certain KANU bigwigs. They are serving cabinet ministers in the current administration despite being loud mouths who rudely told off NARC and its ideals during the 2002 campaigns.

Uhuru Kenyatta seems to be making headway in laying his claim to the leadership mantle in KANU. He and secretary general William Ruto (despite their recent alleged spats) look to have the steely resolve needed to punch the party's way through near oblivion and back into a powerful party capable of winning power.

To make any progress, the party will need to clean up its act and encourage dialogue with a view to resolving internal squabbles. The ruling party NARC has snuffed the life out of its own internal squabbles. LDP has toed the line and NAK has stopped the barking. There are lessons to be learnt from that. Kenyans, irrespective of their political affiliations, want a strong democracy with healthy parties. Only then can Kenyans decide on the best leaders they want.